Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Ken Cole, Agency Director, Human Services Agency
Subject: Agreement with Rape Trauma Services for CSEC Support Services
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing an agreement with Rape Trauma Services (RTS) to provide support, advocacy and accompaniment services to youth who are victims or at risk of sexual exploitation and their families, for the term of February 1, 2020 through January 31, 2023, in an amount not to exceed $345,000.
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BACKGROUND:
The commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) of children is one of the fastest growing epidemics in the country. The Trafficking Victims Protection Act, a federal law passed in 2000, states that any child under the age of 18 years old that is used for the purpose of exploitation through sexual servitude (prostitution), regardless of the absence of economic leverage, manipulation, fraud, coercion, threats, force and violence is considered a commercially sexually exploited child (CSEC).
According to the California Child Welfare Council CSEC Workgroup, the children who fall prey to exploiters frequently have prior involvement with the child welfare system, and between 70-90% of exploited children have experienced child sexual abuse prior to exploitation. Sex traffickers and exploiters are known to target foster youth because of their unique vulnerabilities and accessibility.
CSEC present with a unique set of challenges which require an individualized and comprehensive treatment approach that must be flexible and able to adapt with the needs of the youth. Barriers include a lack of resource families who are willing to care for youth with commercial sexual exploitation history, and who have the necessary tools, knowledge and experience to work with this highly traumatized population. Further, CSEC often have complex trauma which manifests itself in various behaviors and can present with...
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